


Where We Are

by earthypunk



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: M/M, One Shot, Pre-Canon, a little klance if you can catch it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-22
Updated: 2018-07-22
Packaged: 2019-06-14 06:09:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15382374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/earthypunk/pseuds/earthypunk
Summary: Adam is willing to work with what the universe has given him, for better or worse.





	Where We Are

**Author's Note:**

> In Adam's point of view, and the first part is really just a flashback. I haven't really written anything, so comments are appreciated and desired.  
> A really big Shadam song is "How Shall I love Thee" by Rose Rolezani (Yes, off of the WAYWARD SON playlist)

My father always told me I was soft, I don’t think he meant it as offensive, or at least I didn’t take it that way; I was soft and I knew it. There was only a problem that nobody else thought so, I was a little rough around the edges. It’s easy to become jaded once you are told and treated like you are rough, like your very being is a danger to those around you. My father kept on observing, he was always watching everything, letting everything play into what it was meant to: he taught me the importance of waiting, the importance of timing. My mother fit into him like a clock, he was the hands and she was the gears, she was always moving, always going on. I miss them, but I know the universe has something more planned, and there’s always some sacrifice for the infamous big picture. 

“Adam?” the teacher is a bit surprised when I arrive at the door.  
“Yeah that’s me..” I don’t think he was expecting me to be dark, I mean you hear the name Adam, and it’s the first white guy made. The teacher finally gets his face in order and points to a seat. I nod and place my stuff down, I didn’t think being a little late into the program would make me feel like the new kid on campus. I’m trying to pay attention while the teacher is instructing, only the kid next to me keeps trying to get my attention. It’s not that I don’t want to give him the time of day, I’m just.. Not in the headspace for friends or whatever. He’s persistent though, and when I think he finally gave up, he passes me a paper,  
“You’re a bit late into the course (probably your others too) I can help you if you want”- Shiro  
I read it without turning my head down, why does he have to know I’m reading it? He’s stopped trying to burn a hole through my head with his dark eyes. He’s probably patting himself on his back thinking he is the nicest guy, I bet he doesn’t even want to help. I don’t even think I need help actually, I could probably catch up on my own.  
“Class don’t forget to get the assignment into me by Friday” the bell rings and everyone is getting up.  
Oh. That was fast. I’m trying to take a bit of time so welcome wagon over here doesn’t try anything. I look up, he seems a bit preoccupied, a couple of guys are surrounding him as he’s walking out. I pick up my things and head out, I think my next class is just left of here so I could probably manage that with ease, and then there’s a break so-  
“Hey wait up! Adam, yeah? I’m Shiro, I know it said it on the note, but I thought I should introduce myself anyway.” He’s smiling when he says all this, maybe he’s preying on the fresh meat, ready to impress his buddies.  
“Well you know my name already, so I think I’m all good here,” his eyes falter a bit and then he’s back,  
“I meant what I said on the note, I know it can be hard when everyone already has a head start, sort of.”  
“ I don’t need- thank you, but I can manage.” I start turning and walking, and I think he’s gone the other way, I don’t need to turn around, I can hear his footsteps slowly echo out. I don’t think I can handle telling him no again, but I will if I have to, I have to focus and I can’t do that with friends, or bullys, or rivals, whatever he turns out to be. 

Finally, I’m in my room. The good thing about late enrollment is that everyone is already buddied up with roommates, that way I can have a room to myself. They said it would be smaller than their regular rooms, but it was no different than the one I used to have. It’s comforting, the familiarity of solitude, being alone like this keeps me from lashing out, keeps me calm. Begrudgingly, it gives me time to reflect too, I think I was being a little too harsh with Shiro, I mean maybe he only did want to help me. I couldn’t have looked like I understood what the teacher was talking about, I mean I was sort of only thinking about him and his intentions, and I’m not clear on what those are yet. He seems pretty popular, his name is a everywhere: the kids talk about him, the teachers, he’s even on the board outside the room entrance. I don’t think I can trust someone that is that talked about, I mean it all seems good but what’s the truth. I have enough homework to deal with, I don’t want to spend all my free time focusing on the wrong thing. 

 

A little ways down the road… 

 

“You have to help him, he needs you,” I can feel him slowly understanding, but he’s not getting it yet. 

“Why, what if I can’t help him, he lost his Dad, and he never really had a mom, I don’t think I can be enough for him, I don’t even know what I am going to do.”

“Yes you do, for as long as I have known you, you have always known what to do, it’s a lot I know but, Keith- he’s been through a lot, and he’s rough, but he’s had to be rough, and he belongs here, he has a right to be here just as any other kid. I believe you can do this Takashi.” I take a sip from my mug, his eyebrows are furrowing and I smile to myself. “He already trusts you, you know, I saw a picture of his dad, and you look a lot like him, another advantage of having that wonderful face.” His shoulders ease up, I slip my hands onto him, gently framing his face. 

“He has a right to be here.” Shiro breathes. 

“He has a right to be here.” I smile. 

“He’s going to take a lot of time, he needs to be properly cared for,” 

“I know, remember what my mother used to say”

He’s smiling too now, “Patience yields focus.”

“He needs a lot of patience, thank the universe he has you, my prodigy.”

“I’ve seen you burn your tongue from not waiting for your tea to cool down.”

“ I have patience where it counts now leave my tea be.” 

Shiro had to go see the commander about something, and I think this is the first time I’m left alone with Keith. I work with kids around his age all day, and still I’m nervous, I really want him to like me. I take a deep breath and start, 

“ You know, a lot of people didn’t want me here when I first started here too. I looked different, I was different, and I didn’t always come off too nice.” 

“Really?” He doesn’t look too convinced, I mean at his age I wouldn’t believe who I’ve become either. 

“Yeah, just ask Shiro, he was my first victim to my defensive nature,” I’m trying to get him to trust me, I’d like him to know that I’m here for him too. 

“You couldn’t have been that mean, you guys are like perfect now,”

“Yeah now, we put in work, we grew, we became better, sometimes you need someone to help you, to help you remember what’s worth focusing on. But, you need to remember you are worth some of your time too, and you deserve people that care about you, people that value your time.” I hope he understands what I’m trying to say. He nods a little, but I’m afraid it’s for show, or maybe Shiro.  
That’s okay, I try to tell myself, patience patience patience. At this point we’re both waiting for Shiro to walk through that door. 

“Hungry?”I say trying to ease the tension. 

“I’m not really in the mood to go get something.” He’s hungry though. 

“No problem, I know how to cook, real good food too, if I do say so myself.” He looks at me sideways, but I know the ways comfort food works.  
There’s only laughter now. 

“So he’s trying to impress this girl next to me, and he tries that foot on the desk thing, and he falls! The teacher didn’t even get him in trouble because he told her, ‘I guess I was falling for you’," Keith snorts, he actually snorts and I’m trying not to make a big deal out of it. He keeps talking about this kid, and I start to zone out because he’s talking, he’s comfortable, he’s laughing ; a little part of my brain is saying it can always be like this. Him, here, in our flat, living with us, having people to come home to. I really need to stop getting ahead of myself, but I want to work for that, for the life I’m making in my head. 

“Can you show me how to make the chicken, I think we ate it all and Shiro might want some when he gets here?” 

“Sure,” Yeah, we can make this work. 

It hurt. When I found out he was sick; you meet your person, and you think you’ll grow old and grey together, but you only get what the universe gives you. I’m mad at the universe, and he still loves it. He still wants to give the universe everything he has to offer. 

“If you leave, you are leaving this” I’m gesturing to what we’ve built-what we’re building, “You are leaving me, I want to spend whatever time there is with you, I- I want you to choose this, I want you to choose us, Keith, he still needs you,” my eyes are burning and I think I’m going to lose my voice to the lump in my throat soon, “ you are leaving Keith and he needs you here, you, I can’t,” I need to calm down, I stop talking so I can say it, “You are leaving your family, and I don’t know what’s out there, or if you’ll come back alive, but I just want you to think about it, whether you’re willing to give up us for the universe. Takashi, I love you, and I’m here for you, but I’m here, we’re here, why can’t you want to be here too.”  
His eyes are closed, he’s thinking it’s his last chance, and it could be, but if he stays, there are people that can help him, there might be something to help, something he can’t get if he’s out. When his face relaxes, I already know his decision, I’ve already known his decision. I’ve known his mind for a long time: his thoughts, his feelings, his movements, I would know him in any form, across this universe, and I know him now. Now, now he’s leaving, now, now I have to leave, I can feel the heaviness in my heart, but he knows me too, and he knows where I am, and I’m patient. If he wants to, if he really does want this,- I leave the piece of paper he gave me when I first met him, scribbled on the back,  
Focus


End file.
